People in Harwan and its adjoining localities staged day long protests against the arrest of some youth by police on the charges of ‘stone pelting’ during nocturnal raids in these areas here Thursday.
Chanting pro-freedom and pro justice slogans, hundreds of people including men women and children from Shalimar, Arabal and Chandpora localities this morning hit streets and staged day long protests on main road against police action.
The protesters alleged that the police arrested as many as ten youth in these localities on the charges of stone pelting during nocturnal raids.
They said that most of the youth who were arrested by the police are either students or laborers having no involvement in any subversive activities including that of stone pelting or participating in anti India protests.
“A police party knocked at my door at around 12am in the night, and arrested one of our worker on the charges of stone pelting, he is a laborer working on my bakery shop since years, he was always busy in his routine work and has never participated in any protest,” said Farooq Ahmad Sofi a baker at Chandpora area.
He identified the arrested youth as Mohammad Maqbool Sofi who he claimed was innocent and lone bread winner of his family.
“This is sheer injustice on the part of the police, we visited the concerned police station many times since morning but they refused to divulge any information about him as to where he was shifted,” said Sofi.
People in Arabal and Shalimar localities also claimed that police carried out nocturnal raids in these areas and arrested some youth on same charges.
Meanwhile large number of people amid anti India and pro freedom slogans marched towards police station Harwan and staged a peaceful sit-in demanding immediate release of arrested youth.
The protesters threatened to continue their protests in case police did not release these youth without any further delay.
(CNS)